All Hail Hulet Hornbeck

Share This:

Next time you’re on a trail in the East Bay Regional Park District, say a word of thanks to Hulet Hornbeck, who died on January 7, 2012, at the age of 92. Hornbeck was the district’s acquisition chief from 1965 to 1985 and oversaw the purchase of 49,000 acres of parkland, increasing the district’s park units from eight to 46. He remained active in open space and trail issues both locally and nationally long after his retirement.

In 2005, the park district honored Hornbeck by renaming a restored three-mile segment of the Bay Area Ridge Trail after him. Follow Hornbeck’s footsteps along the Carquinez Strait: Start at the Nejedly/East Staging Area in Martinez. Afterward, visit the nearby home of Hornbeck’s hero, John Muir. Download a trail map.

About the Author

Writer Aleta George trained as a Jepson Prairie docent in 2009. In addition to writing Bay Nature's Ear to the Ground column, she has written for Smithsonian, High Country News, and the Los Angeles Times.

Share This:

Every story from Bay Nature magazine is the product of a team of writers, editors, photographers, and fact-checkers dedicated to connecting our readers to the world around them and increasing environmental literacy. Please help us keep this unique regional magazine thriving, and support the ecosystem we’ve built around it, by subscribing or donating today.

Newts, and damselfly larvae, and scuds, oh my! Come join us on May 25th for our ever-popular Pond Day where we get up close and personal with the many critters who make our ponds home. Join our volunteer Nature Guides